Rowan Tree

lollycross · Post by **lollycross** » Sat Dec 29, 2001 7:35 pm

I found a nice Scottish air called Rowan Tree. Anyone out there with a Dictonary or
any knowledge of what a ROWAN tree is?
Thanks
Lolly

rpmseattle · Post by **rpmseattle** » Sat Dec 29, 2001 7:51 pm

The Rowan tree is also known as the European Mountain Ash or the Mountain Ash. The Celtic word is An Caorthann. An even older name of the tree is "luis", which corresponded to the second letter of the alphabet.

Rowan Tree takes its name from Celt and Scottish legends that tell of the magical Rowan tree symbolizing beauty, privacy, peace and sanctuary. This tree was one of high magic, and was supposed to have magical powers. Its round wattles, spread with newly-flayed bulls' hides, were used by the Druids as a last extremity for compelling demons to answer difficult questions.

According to tradition, the tree would normally be planted at the door of the house for protection from evil spirits and give the occupants privacy, peace, and refuge. Also twigs might be placed over the byre door. Necklaces of rowan berries with red thread worn for protection by Highland women.

best wishes
Robert

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Sat Dec 29, 2001 7:57 pm

Wow, Cool Robert,

Thanks for all the great info!

Loren

Feadan · Post by **Feadan** » Sat Dec 29, 2001 8:14 pm

Another little FYI; people I have met from Scotland pronounce rowan so that the "row-" part rhymes with "cow" and not "row" (as in row your boat). Funny this post should be here when I arrived home. I just got back from visiting my brother on the other side of the state. We played a few tunes together and also for each other. One bit I did was to sing "Rowan Tree" while playing harmony on the smallpipe.

Cheers,
David

[ This Message was edited by: Feadan on 2001-12-29 21:19 ]

garycrosby · Post by **garycrosby** » Sat Dec 29, 2001 10:03 pm

Branches from Rowan Trees were used by the Celts (and others) as walking sticks - it was believed that the "magical power" of the tree would protect the bearer from evil and ensure her safe return home.

The berries and leaves (which are both very fragrant) were dried and burned as incense for protection from evil.

Coincidentally, I'm actually making some walking sticks from branches I trimmed from a Rowan Tree in my front yard - its lovely wood to work with and from a practical perspective is well-suited for walking sticks.

Happy new year,
Gary

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Sun Dec 30, 2001 7:54 am

Geeze, who'd a thought one could learn so much about trees around here. This message board never ceases to amaze me....

Loren

lollycross · Post by **lollycross** » Sun Dec 30, 2001 1:17 pm

YES, Thank you for your quick and informative replies about a tree, of all things. Now I know I can call an Album
by this name and everyone will know the meaning. ALl I have to do is find a nice
one now for an album cover....and then record
the album, ha ha....but at least I have a
Title for it now.
Lolly

Mack.Hoover · Post by **Mack.Hoover** » Sun Dec 30, 2001 4:40 pm

Grannymouse, where's that poem "The Whustle Wuman" Didn't she make her whistle from the rowan tree? It seems I read once that the branches have a soft center that can be carved easily to make a hollow tube, thus a whistle.
Mack

Tom_Gaul · Post by **Tom_Gaul** » Sun Dec 30, 2001 5:56 pm

To add to the Rowan tree lore, here is the first verse of the song ”Oh Rowan Tree" by Lady Carolina Nairne which I found in "Folk Songs of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales" Edited by William Cole. It may be the same song that Lolly mentioned. It seems to be written in that Scots dialect that I'm sure you'll appreciate Mack.

Oh rowan tree, oh rowan tree, thoul't aye be dear to me,
Entwin'd thou art wi' mony ties, o'hame and infancy.
Thy leaves were aye the first o'spring, thy flowr's the simmer's pride;
There was nae sic a bonnie tree, in all the country side.

Best wishes, Tom

jinje · Post by **jinje** » Mon Dec 31, 2001 10:36 am

if anyone is interested, you can also make some great rowanberry wine and (jam) as we call the preserve, from the berries.
goes well with turkey

aderyn_du · Post by **aderyn_du** » Mon Dec 31, 2001 11:11 am

On 2001-12-30 17:40, Mack.Hoover wrote:
Grannymouse, where's that poem "The Whustle Wuman" Didn't she make her whistle from the rowan tree? It seems I read once that the branches have a soft center that can be carved easily to make a hollow tube, thus a whistle.
Mack

On a side note, I've heard that Elder works very well for whistles too... I think I have instructions somewhere in a pile of papers! <G>

All the best,
Andrea ~*~

Firefly · Post by **Firefly** » Mon Dec 31, 2001 3:03 pm

On 2001-12-31 12:11, aderyn_cyrdd wrote:

On a side note, I've heard that Elder works very well for whistles too... I think I have instructions somewhere in a pile of papers! <G>

Just as a precaution, Dr. Kenneth Lampe, in The AMA Handgbook of Poisonous Injurious Plants writes that children sometimes get sick from "playing with elderberry whistles or blowguns."

However, I've often found the above book to be more than a little on the conservative side when it comes to the possible dangers of plants and herbs. I've personally never had any sort of reaction to elderberry wood, but perhaps one might want to be careful about letting kids near it.

And, on the subject of plant lore,

Dreaming about Elder was believed to herald illness

Picking Elder on the last day of April and hanging it in your house will keep witches away

Elder supposedly provided the wood for the Cross (but then again that's said about the Oak, the Dogwood, etc. etc!)

~Firefly

Edited for creative use of HTML tags.

[ This Message was edited by: Firefly on 2001-12-31 16:08 ]

Mack.Hoover · Post by **Mack.Hoover** » Mon Dec 31, 2001 4:40 pm

Here's that poem; Grannymouse shared it with us a year or so ago.

'The Whistle: by Charles Murray

Adapted for the Ceilidh and renamed and dedicated to Betty Gault

The Whustle Wumman:

She cut a sappy sucker from the muckel rodden(rowan) tree,
She trimmed it, an' she wet it, an' she thumped it on her knee;
She never heard the teuchat (lapwing) when the harrow broke her eggs,
She missed the craggit (long-necked) heron nabbin puddocks (frogs)
in the seggs; (reeds)
She forgot to hound the collie at the cattle when they strayed ~
But ye should hae seen the whustle that the wee wumman made!

She wheepled on't at morn, an' she tweetled on't at nicht,
She puffed her freckled cheeks sae big her nose sank oot o' sicht;
The kye (cattle) were late for milkin' when she piped them up the closs;
An' Larry got nae supper, an' he was beddit boss! (empty to bed)
She cared nae doit nor docken what they thocht, or did, or said ~
T'was the comfort o' the whistle that the wee wumman made!

She blaw them rants(tunes) sae lively ~ schottisches, reels, an' jigs;
the foalie flang his muckle legs an' capered ower the rigs.
The gray-tailed futt'rat (weasel) bobbit oot to hear ain strathspey;
The bowd came louping frae the corn to "Corn Pease Strae"(Strathspey)

The feet o' ilka (every) man an' beast gets youkie (itchie) when she played ~
Hae ye heard the like o' whustle that the wee wumman made!

JimmyM · Post by **JimmyM** » Tue May 14, 2002 8:43 am

Anyone know the (or a) tune for The Whustle Wumman?

Mack.Hoover · Post by **Mack.Hoover** » Tue May 14, 2002 12:55 pm

It sounds like 4/4 time to me, so it might be a reel. I'd like to see a tune, too!

Mack